President battles with his own party amid suspense and turmoil
Sunday, July 19, 2015
- Ecstasy and agony over Sirisena’s mes sage to the nation: UNP overjoyed, SLFP and UPFA furious
- For the first time party leader gets enjoining order to prevent special meeting of his party;rumours of plans to expel him
- Heated arguments over nominations and national list: UPFA list was handed over minutes before deadline
It was an epochal, rare and historic moment in Sri Lanka’s three decade old executive presidency.A President heaped both agony and ecstasy to his fellow countrymen on the eve of a parliamentary election.
Just one sentence in a 62 minute address to the nation said it all. President Maithripala Sirisena declared that he would urge “the people to select those who are suitable to march forward with the January 8 mandate.” The message was clear – support the United National Party (UNP) and its allies. It is the UNP and its allies who had carried forward the mandate with a 100 Day Programme of Work. The President cemented his appeal by saying “after the election results are declared, for the next five years I will take forward the transformation that began on January 8 and continue on the same path for the next five years.” The people, he said he was certain, would judge him by the end of that period.
